Electric regulator



' fam/di /f/o//a/ Affaffzey ELECTRIC REGULATOR vFiled Aug. 4. 192s H. M. sToLLl-:R ET AL HHH-NNUU u QNBNQ n f www@ ]r y Q ME WH @Wmo Q\ n 1 .Q\ H n A o .n JLM W2 m H L March 13, 1928.

Patented Mar. 1.3, 1928.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH M. STOLLER, OF MOUNTAIN LAKES, NEW JERSEY, AND EDNAIUND R. NORTON,

0F NEW YORK, N, Y., ASSIG'NORS TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPO- RATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR.

Application tiled August 4, 1928. Serial No. 127,050.

This invention relates to regulating systems and aims to control, or to regulate precisely, mechanical or electrical characteristics, as for example, speed, frequency or voltage.

As a spccitic ramble of applications ot the invention, tl is described. hereinafter the operation of an electric system embodying one torni of the invention in controlling the starting et' a l). C. electric motor and in maintaining the motor speed sensibly constant. i

Our copending application Serial No. 124,599, tiled duly 24, 1926, discloses a system for regulating the speed of a direct current motor. lin that system, a high frequency generator is driven from the motor, for supplying alternating E. M. F. to a tuned circuit from which a potential changing with changes in the generator frequency is applied to the grid. of a vacuum tube deteetor. A vacuum tube amplifles the resulting changes in the plate currentof the detector, and the motor speed is regulated by passage oi the amplifier late current through a regulating field wlnding on the motor. The adjustment of the system is such that at normal motor speed the generator yfrequency corresponds to a point of positive slope on the steep portion of the resonance curve or" the tuned circuit. Change in the motor speed and consequently in the generator frequency, causes the potential applied from the tuned circuit to the detector grid to vary'in such manner that the resulting change in'current in the regulating field winding of the motor checks the change in. the motor speed. Plate current for the rectier and for the amplifier is supplied from slip rin s on the motor, the del tector and the amp ier each rectifying its own plate current.

ln the specific form of the instant invention shown the drawing the motor to be regulated drives a high. frequency generator, for supplying M. F. to the plate of an electric space discharge rectier tube through a low pass iilter which has a sharp cut-ofiG at a frequency slightly below the frequency which the generator delivers at normal speed of the motor. ln the rectifier plate circuit is a coupling resistance shunted by a high frequency by-pass condenser. The voltage across the resistance is applied to the grids of two electric space discharge amplifier tubes, the grids of the amplifier tubes being connected directl together. The motor speed is regulate( by passage ot the plate current of the amplifier tubes through a regulating held winding on the motor. The plate current for the amplifier tubes is supplied from slip rings on the motor, these tubes serving as a t'ull wave rectifier of the current from the slip rings. The constants of the s stem are such that at normal motor speed tie rgenerator frequency is slightly above the cut-ofi frequency of the filter and corresponds to a point on the steep, negatively sloping portion of the voltage-frequency characteristic of the generator and the filter combined. Change in the motor speed and consequently in the generator frequency, causes the potential applied from the filter to the rectifier plate to vary in such manner that the resulting change in current in the regulating field Winding of the motor checks the change in the motor speed. The line voltage is applied to the grids of the amplifier tubes, through the coupling resistance, as a positive biasing potential, causing the grids oit' the amplifier tubes to go positive, at frequencies considerably above and below the filter cut-oil' frequency, and thereforepermitting the current in the regulating field winding, and the regulating range of the system to be large. The low pass filter enables the system to control the motor at speeds both above and below that corresponding to the critical or cut-off frequency of the filter and to bring the motor speed tothe normal value even in case abnormal operating conditions force the speed from the normal value to a value below or above that corresponding to the critical frequency of the filter.

High frequency is used on the plate of the rectifier tube. An advantage of this is that it permits the use of two amplifier tubes,

ple, lf a lovv frequency were used, and the bly-pass condenser across the coupling resistance were made very large in an at denser which is adequate for smoothing out lll the voltage across the coupling resistance when the frequency of the rectifier plate voltage is high.. Having thef cut-off freuency of the filter high facilitates making t e time constants of the impedance elements of the filter such as to give the filter cut-od the requisite sharpness for obtaining sensitive regulating action ofthe system. By employing the tvvo amplifying tubes, the povver out ut for use in the motor regulating held is made large, and is also made continuous so that ulsations in the held current can be readlly avoided by a comparatively small condenser in shunt to the eid.. By making this condenser small quick action of the regulator system is obtained and any tendency to cause hunting is avoided..

In connection with a motor driving an A. C. generator to produce high frequency waves for use in regulating a characteristic such as those mentioned above, a specific aspect of one feature of the instant invention relates to supplying Waves from the Agenerator through a lovv pass filter to an electric space discharge tube, the space currentfrom Which is used in e'ecting the desired regulation.

@ne fleature of the instant invention re-4 lates to supplying high frequency vvaves to the plate lcircuit of an electric space dis-v charge rectier tube,and rendering a substantially continuous E. ll/f. ll". which is obtained from that circuit and which is used in effecting regulation of a characteristic such as those mentioned above.

@ne feature of theinstantinvention re lates to obtaining a large range of regulation, in a system employing an electric space discharge amplifying tube for regulating a characteristic such as those mentioned above, by causing an impedance control ele-` ment of the tube to assume a positivebiasing potential `when the regulated characteristie assumes either a value below or ka value above a given range of values.

@ther objects and features of the inven tion will be apparent from thev following den scription andclaims.

llllg. l is a circuit diagram of system ein bodying one form of the invention and Fig. 2 is a curve for facilitating explanation of the invention.

g incense ln the following description of the specific form of the invention shown in the drawing, a specific set of values of speeds, frequencies, capacities, resistances, etc., is mentioned, byyvvay of example only.

ln the drawing is shown an electric -rnotor 5 which is to have its speed held connent series field winding 7 and its shunt field winding 8, an auxiliary series Held Winding 9 used in starting `the motor and an auxiliary regulating field Windinor 10aa under control of a vacuum tube regulator described hereinafter. All of these field windings are accumulative. in alternatorH ll producingya high frequency, as for example 720 cycles at 1200 R. P. M., is driven no from the motor. rlhe alternator is shown as a small inductor type generator such as is disclosed in our copendlng application mentioned above. The generator comprises a toothed rotor 12, and a stator i3 on which 95 is an exciting Winding ltand an armature winding 15. A resistor 16 is included in series With the Winding 14 for adjust-ing the value of the current 1n that Winding. A resistor 17 is includedV in series with Windnu ing l5 to adjustthe value of the normal current output from that Winding. f

rlhe 720 cycle current from the generator passes through a low-pass filter 20 which transmits readily any frequency up to 700 cycles per second and has a sharp cut-od` on higher frequencies. rlhe filter is terminated by ay resistance R. 'lhe output voltage from this filter is impressed upon the plate of an electric space discharge detector tube 21 1,0 vvhnich through a coupling resistance 22 having by Way of example 'a value of 100,000 ohms, varies the grid potential of an amplifier A comprismg tvvo three electrode space discharge tubes 25 land 26. .lt con-A M5 denser 27 connected across resistance 22 suppresses the voltage fluctuations across the resistance, of frequency of the order of the frequencies delivered by generator ll. c rll`his condenser may have a capacity of, for en 120 ample, .0l Fllhe current for the motor regulating held l0 passes 'through the space discharge paths of the amplifier A., so that the amplifier varies the current through the regulating field as described hereinafter. ica The povver supply for the' filament of tubes 2l 25 and 26 and for the plates of the amplifier tubes 25 and 26, is obtained from a transformer 30, and as explained herein-l after, the voltage of line 6 is also applied' mu to the plate of the amplifier tubes 25 and 26. The primary windin 31 of this transformer is fed from a pair o slip rings connected to two commutator bars 180 electrical degrees apart on the motor, which deliver 8O volts at cyclesvper second to the slip rings. A secondary winding 32 of the transformer has its ends connected to the plates of tubes and 26 respectively, and supplies current to those plates through a circuit traced hereinafter. A secondary Winding 35 of the transformer is connected across the filaments of tubes 25 and 26 in parallel. A secondary Winding 36 of the transformer 3l is connected across the filament of tube 2l.. The line 6 supplies direct current to the motor, at, for example 110 volts, and also serves as a source ofpositive C voltage for polarizn ing the `grids oi the amplifier tubes 25 and 26 from the positive line conductor through lead 72 and resistance 22, the filaments of these tubes being connected to the negative conductor ot line 6 by conductor 65. vA condenser 3?' connected across the motor regulating field Winding 10 suppresses voltage `fluctuations across that Winding, of requencies off-the order of double that-sup@ plied by the vslip rings. This condenser may have a capaci" for example, 0.1 mf.

The curve in 2 is the voltage-frequency iracteristic, voitagespeed characteris of t" @tor ll and ilter 20 comiency varies with the motor otor accelerates from standl it ge at the output terminals et rises, die to the rise in the inci easing ter-nii voltage ot the generator9 the neighboreases above the cut-o itege at the output tamudecreases. For reasons constants o he curve which correiai otor speed, 1s on the steep e curve which lies just above ore ne c t l ncy and has negative slope exa g rint ga..

To. -tarted by closing a switch f to |\1 :QA a I 'l UU generator shown from which the i aerives o llthis puts fall shunt c el i on e motor rom the upper or tive ponductor of the line, through 'the fined ield resistance unit 50. Armature current for the motor lovs from the positive Mie conductor through a starting resistance 2, 'for example three ohms, through startseries lield 'winding 9, permanent series il winding "I, through the armature and back to the negative conductor et line 6. he motor thereiore starts as a compound wound motor having a strong field with a fixed resistance in the armature circuit. When the speed of the motor has reached about 750 R. P. M. the voltage drop across the armature, due to the counter E. M. F., has risen to a value suilicient to cause o eration of a starting relay 53. The Win' ing of this relay is in a diagonal ot a Wheatstone bridge` circuit, two arms of the bridge consisting of resistance units 5e and 55 respectively, having their junction at one end of the diagonal, a third arm or' the bridge consisting of the starting resistance 52 and iield Winding 9, and the fourth arm consisting of the tield Winding 7 and the armature. 'lhe upper contact ont this relay connects the right hand end ot' permanent series ield Winding.'4 directly to the positive conductor of line 6, thereby short-circuiting the 3 ohm series resistance and the starting field Winding 9, of the motor. 'll'iis converts the motor into a compound Wound motor directly connected to the line. .lhe lower contact of the starting relay applies E. M. F., approaching a voltage ot' 80 volts and a frequency or 20 cycles per second the motor approaches normal speed, from the slip rings on the motor to the primary winding 3l of the transformer 30, thereby causing a secondar vvindin 32 to impress plate voltage on the ampliier tubes 25 and rent from which Fiovvs tl r lating ielol Winding it). l

pressed on the plates in su space curthe reguae'e is 1inline voltage7 the circuit il.. i extending trom 'the positive conductor ne 6 through iielcl Winding l condenser siderable speed but is not yet y up to normal speed, the motor is operating on the part or' the curve ot i 2 which has a slope dot positive sign and the detect current is large and produces an ll in the dLoOG() ohra coupling which drives the grids of 25 and 26 negative, thereby rent through the regulatiiig li ltor and giving the motor lie d which tends to increase its speed.

lThe motor therefore Will continue celerate until the speed reaches the value corresponding to the cut-o5 frequency of the low-pass filter.) whereupon the plate voltage applied to the detector tube decreases, consequently decreasing the current tnrough the coupling resistance and decrees' -g 'the negative C voltage on the grids ol t to acoov luf)

tubes and 26. This causes a sudden ,in-f crease in the space current of the ampliher, thereby strengthening the regulating held and preventing a further increase in speed. rlhe motor has thus accelerated to its normal speed.

' In earlier stages of the acceleration, that voltage at the output of the filter which is due to the generator is low, and lpositive potential applied from line 6 to the grids of tubes 25 and 26 through. the conductor 72 and resistance 22 tends to `cause the regulating lield to be strong; and where it is permissible to dispense with the auxiliary starting held this edect ci the regulator may be used in causing the motor torque and counter E.. l?. and eld strength to 'have the requisite values tor the low speeds ot the :motore e f A.

.A manner in which the system may be operated yto maintain constant motor speed under varying operating conditions, as for example varying llne voltage or varyin load on the motor will now be describe The normal speed ont the motor corresponds.

to, say, the point p on the curve ot Fig.. 2.. W'hen there occurs an increase in line volt age, there results a decrease in hlter output voltage and in plate voltage oi tube 2l, and therefore a decrease in plate current ot tube.

2l and a conse uentincrease in plate" current f of tubes 25 an 26, thereby tending to pren vent a rise in speed., llt on the other hand, the line voltage decreases thereresults any increase in lter output voltaoe and plate voltage oi tube 21, and thereilore in plate current ot tube 2l, and consequent decrease in plate current oi tubes 25 and 26, thereb tending to prevent a decrease in spec', Should there occur an increase in load on the motor, tending to slow down the motor4 to a speed lower than normal, the system the desired precision of re ulation. However, the filter cut-oil shoul not be so sharp as to make the slope' o' this operating por-y tion of the curve sutliciently stee to result in huntlng orundue instability m the system.

. The amplifier tubes 25 and 26serveas ab `full wave rectifier to rectify the waves` in- .Y duc'din'the secondary winding 32 under control ofthe grid bias, ffor-energ1zingmthe I neeaoss regulatingeld winding; and the super "osi-y tion, upon the voltage waves induce 1n winding 32, of the direct volta e from line 6, increases the useful portion o those waves, by raising the mean positive value of the re sultant voltage applied to the plates ci tubes 25 and 26, or in other words by, in edect,

shitting the zero axis oi the waves down-i wardly.

rlhe .filaments yof tubes 25 and 26 are connectedto the negative conductor of line 6 by lead 65. The grids of these tubes are confv nected to the positive conductor of the line 6 through resistance. 22 and lead 7 2. 'When the speed of the motor reaches a value correspending to a frequency somewhat higher than the frequency at point p the plate of the rectitier'tube 2l is no longer suppliedl with power at sucient voltage to overcome the voltage dro in resista-nce 22 due to the current drawn y the grids of tubes 25 and 26 from the positive line conductor through lead i 2. Since space current no longer dows through the detector, the current throu h the 'regulating held winding is large, tie grids of the amnliiier tubes bein positive with respect to their dlz'unents. heretore, there is a very strong tendency to slow the motor down. l

"What is claimed is:

l.. Means for regulating a characteristic ci an electrical system, comprising an alternator, a motor driving said ralternator at a speed sucient to `produce high tr uency `waves, a low-pass ter ted by said a ternator, said lter hav ng a steeply sloping attenuation characteristic in the region ot the frequency of said alternator when the char acteristic of said system is normal, an electric space discharge tube for rectifying the current from said filter, and means responsive to the rectified alternating current for regulating said characteristic.

till

lllli 2. In a speed regular s sternv for a motor having a regulating fiel winding, a eu-l eratcr supplying an alternating current av` ing a frequency varying accordin to the speed'of saidy motor, a ow` pass fi ter connected to said generator, said filter having .a steeply sloping attenuation characteristic in the region of the frequency of'said generator when the motor .is operating at nor mal speed, and rectifying and amplifying means connected to said filter andv operating independentl of moving parts for con'- trolling said fiel vwinding to maintain the motor speedf substantially constant, said means being the largest load on said generator. Y

3. In a speed regulator tor having a regulating stein for a moeld windingi a source of alternating current\havin a quenc varying in accordance with' t e speed of sai motor, a. low pass filter su plied with Acurrent from said source, said ter having supplied with curren said iilter leaving e steeply slopi' atteindJ a steeply sloping attenuation characteristic in the region of the frequency of said source when the motor is operating at normal speed, and means operating independently of moving parts and con'iprising an electric space discharge device connected to saidiilter for controlling said iield Winding to maintain the motor speed substantially constant, said means being the largest load on said source. v

' 4. ln a regulator system for a dynamoelectric machine having a regulating iield Winding, the combination comprising a source of electricalvariations, the frequency of which varies in accordance with a char acteristic of said machine, a low pass r'ilter connected to said source, said iilterv having a steeply sloping attenuation characteristic in the region oi the frequency of said source when the machine characteristic is normal, an electric space discharge device serving as a rectifier and a coupling means in circuit With said iilter, and spacedischarge means connected across said coupling means and serving as an amplifier to control said ield Winding and maintain said characteristic ci the machine substantially constant, said source being connected to the space discharge means through said coupling means independently oi any other load.

5. lin a speed regulator system for a ind tor having a regulating iield source ot lernating current li .fing a quency varying accordinc to L the motor, low 'pass iilter connected to said alter qent sour e, said ylilter having a s eeply sloping attenuation cheracteristic in tl e region the frequency o ent oli-en the motor is operatspeed, means opere'irc, y or moving parts comprisc snace discharge tubes controlled winding to maintain the inotor speed substantially con t, sell source being connected to the space charge tubes through lilter independently ci" any other ti. a regulator system, a motor having rer a.' liield Winding, generator'operated foy .id motor to supply hav ing a frequency varying in accor Y:ance tlie speed said motor, lv

' 'irene said tion characteristic in the region oi itc quency out "fl e generator when the motor operating L eed, an elec c space discharge device serving as a reotiner d coupling resistance connected in kcircuit 'with said lter, meansl 'for supplying a lovv :firen quency current from said motor, and arnvplitying means comprising electron space discharge tubes connected across said coupling resistance and supplied with space from said iilter for controll current from said low frequency source for 7. In a regulator system, a dynamo-elec-- tric machine having a regulating field Winding, tivo electric space discharge tubes serving as an auipliiicr and having input and output circuits, means for energizing said input circuits according to an operating characteristic of said machine, and means for supplyingalternating current to the output circuits of said tubes so as to effect full Wave rectification, said output circuits being connected to said lield Winding for maintaining said characteristic substantially oonetant Y 8. In a regulator system, a dynamo-electric machine, a source oi alternating current, two electric space discharge tubes having input and output circuits, means for energizing said input circuits in 'parallel according to an operating characteristic of said machine, means for connecting said source or alternating current in opposite relation to said output circuits, and means for connecting said output circuits in parallel relation to said field wimiine4 to maintain said characteristic substantially constant.

9. ln a regulator system, e. motor having a regulating field Winding, a source ci direct current for operating said rector, a source or alternating current obtained from said motor, means for obtaining a potential 'which varies according; to, but i rate than, the speed of said motor., tvro element space discharge s having; the in put circuits thereof energized in parallel by said potential and outs circuits thereof connected in parallel series with said source of direct current to said iield Winding, conu nectinrr said source ci alternating1 current in circuits.

opposite relation to said output ln a recnlator system, a resulating` ield Winding, a son c t natine; current obtained from said motor, means 'for obtaining; a source of potential which varies according' to, but l l than, the speed of said motor;a three element space discharrge tubes having the output circuits thereof connected in parelI lel to said tlelol winding1 and the input cir cuits connected in parallel to scid source ,seid

potential. and means for connecting; source of alternating; current in opposite relation to the output circuits of said tubes.

il. Mlin a regulator system "for a dynamoelectric machine havingm a retulations,c iield Winding', a coupling resistance, ineens for impressing a potential on said resistance which lvaries according to a characteristic 01E the machine, a source of substantially constant counter electromotive force connected to said resistance, and amplifying means operating independently of moving parts eac-li 'other and' connected to the resistance for controlling lmachine7 and means for impresslng a suhldischarge tuhe having stantially constant counter electromotive force on said input circuit.

13. ln a regulator system for a dynamoelectric machine having a regulating eld Winding, a coupling resistance, means for impressing a potential on said resistance which varies according to a characteristic of said machine, a source of substantially constant'counter electromotive force connected to said resistance, and a three element space the input circuit thereof connected to said resistance and the output circuit thereof connected to said held vvindin lor maintaining the machine characteristic substantially constant.

M. In a speed regulator system tor a motor having a regulating field winding, a source of alternating current having a tre-v quency varying according to a characteristic of said machine, a lovv pass lter connected to said source of current, a coupling resist ance, rectil'ying means tor connecting said lator system for a dynamo-v neeaoei tric machine having a regulating eld Windf ing, a coupling resistance, means for im` pressing a potential on said coupling resistance which varies according to a characteristic ot said machine, asource ot suhstantially constant counter. electromotive torce connected to said coupling resistance, am-v plitying means comprising tvvo space discharge devices having input and output circuits, said input circuits heingfconnccted in parallel to said coupling resistance and said output circuits losing connected to said eld Winding, and means for supplying alternating space current to said output circuits so as to edect tall Wave rectication..

lin Witness whereof We hereunto subscribe grnames this 3rd day of August A. D.,

i een in s'ronnnn., nur n Mourir, 

